Air-pressure differential creating device



March 22, 1949. J. H. DAVIS AIR-PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL CREATING DEVICE 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30, 1947 villiivpbl" March 22, 1949. v DAVls 42,464,797-

AIR-PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL CREATING DEVICE Filed June 50, 1947 3Sheets-Sheet 2 March 22, 1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Filed June 30, 19.47

Patented Mar. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE AIR-PRESSUREDIFFERENTIAL CREATING DEVICE John H. Davis, Detroit, Mich, assignor toJessie A. Davis Foundation, Inc., Detroit, Mich, a corporation ofDelaware 14 Claims.

This invention is a novel device for creatin air-pressure differentials,and the principal object thereof is to provide a unit, which may beself-contained, having means for centrifugally producing a radiatingspray or film of fluid across one face of the unit in such manner thatthe film will reduce atmospheric air pressure upon said face, wherebyatmospheric pre sure acting upon the remaining surfaces of the devicewill move or tend to move the device into or towards the area of reducedpressure with tremendous force, thereby providing a device which may beused for lifting or propelling various articles or the like in anydesired direction, horizontally, angularly, or vertically, the unitrequiring a relatively small power input in order to create the abovementioned fluid spray or film, and being very much more efficient thanother lifting, pulling or pushing devices at present known.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above typehaving an impeller or centrifuge, rotated by a motor requiringrelatively small horsepower, and designed to radiate a spray or film offluid across one face of the device where the diiferential in air oratmospheric pressure is to be produced, the device consisting of acasing containing a quantity of fluid which forms the spray, the casingbeing designed to collect the sprayed fluid adjacent the periphery ofthe surface which faces the zone of rarefied air, the casing containinga prime mover, such as an electric or other motor, driving throughsuitable gearing the impeller, thereby forming a unit in which the fluidmay be used over and over again during operation of the device withoutappreciable loss.

A further object of the invention is to provide a modification of adevice of the above type adapted particularly for use as a propulsionmeans for movable objects such as ships, automobiles, airplanes or thelike, the device being adapted to exert a pull or push thereon to forman efiective air-pressure difierential propelling means, therebydispensing with the usual engine, motor, or other propelling means withwhich same are customarily equipped.

Further minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

The present application is a continuationin-part of my cQ-pendingapplication Serial No. 512,649 filed December 2, 1943 now abandoned.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying,drawings, which illustrate several practical embodiments thereof, toen-- 2 able others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same; andwill summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, andnovel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a selfcontained unit according tomy invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View, partly broken away, of the rotatableimpeller adapted to produce by centrifugal force the radiating spray orfilm adjacent the surface at or above which the rarefied air zone is tobe created.

Fig. 4 is a longitdinal section through the impeller shown in Fig. 3,showing the spray head secured to the larger end of the impeller whichforms with said end the spray ejection slot.

Fig. 5 is a partial end elevation of the impeller shown in Fig. 4, withthe head removed.

Fig. 5a is a section on the line fizz-5a, Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is an elevation showing a modification of my device applied tothe bow and stern of a speed boat.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged section through the bow of the boat shown in Fig.6, showing more in detail the arrangement of the parts of the .de-' viceat said end of the boat.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, my device may be formed as a simpleself-contained unit consisting of a casing of circular plan and ofrelatively shallow depth having a bottom I, annular side wall 2, and atop 3 which has a relatively large circular axially disposed opening 4therein, the periphery of opening i being deflected upwardly andinwardly as at 5.

Within the casing are a plurality of radially disposed ribs 6 which maybe, but not necessarily, formed integrally with the side 2 or maycomprise separate frame members, the same supporting immediately belowthe opening 4 in the top 3 a fiat circular plate I, the periphery ofwhich terminates adjacent the lower end of the deflector flange 5 ofopening 4, the plate I having formed integrally therewith or securedthereto radial ribs 8 on its underside which connect at the center ofplate I with an axially disposed ring 9 in which the upper anti-frictionbearing E2 of the impeller I0 is journaled. The lower end of impellerIll is open and a shaft l3 extends therefrom, the lower end of which isjournaled in a suitable bearing H mounted on the bottom I of the casing.

Shaft I3 carries a bevel gear l4 meshing with a bevel gear l5 carried bya shaft l6, journaled in a bearing I! and driven directly, or throughspeed reduction gears if desired, by a prime mover I8 which in the formshown consists of an electric motor disposed within the tank, the primemover being liquid-proof so as to be unafi'ected in operation by thefluid which fills the casing up to the fluid line I9, Fig. 1, the fluidline I9 being disposed well above the open lower end of impeller I0. Bythe above construction, as the motor or prime mover f8 rotates, theimpeller III will be correspondingly rotated in its bearings II and I2.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 5a, impeller I consistsof a conical shaft I00. which is preferably but not necessarily solid,the same having at its larger end a threaded stud I0b for the purposehereinafter explained. Around the conical shaft I0a is a conical casingI0c having substantially the same angular taper. Between shaft I0 andcasing We are a plurality of fixed vanes I0cZ, six being shown but agreater or lesser number may be used, said vanes being either flat orslightly concave or convex, and being disposed substantially radially ofthe shaft Illa of the impeller, the inner edges of the vanes fitting inslots or grooves We in shaft I0a, while the outer edge of each vane I0dbeyond the larger end of casing We is provided with a radial lug I0f(Fig. a) adapted to fit in a slot I0g in a ring 20 conforming with theinner and outer diameters of the larger end of easing I0c, said ring 20being welded or otherwise secured to the larger end of the casing. Bythis construction the vanes I0d and shaft I0a are rigidly secured withinthe impeller casing I00 so as to rotate as a unit. If desired, the outeredges of the vanes I0d may be further secured to the casing I 00 by spotwelding or the like at spaced intervals extending to the smaller end ofthe impeller I0.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5a, the ends of the vanes I0d projectslightly beyond the outer face of ring 20, preferably about inch more orless, so as to contact a circular spray head plate 2I which seatssquarely upon the larger end of conical shaft I0a, the head having acentral hole receiving the threaded stud I01) and being secured to shaftI0a by a nut 22 (Fig. 4) or the like, thereby leaving a continuousspray-ejection slot X (Fig. 4) between the inner face of the head plate2| and the outer face of ring 20, the external diameter of the plate 2|being the same as that of ring 20; and as before mentioned the adjacentends of the vanes I0d terminating at the inner face of head 2| and thusextending across the width of the annular spray-ejection slot X.

The above construction forms a rigid structure which is rotatable as aunit, and preferably the external face of casing We at the larger end isprovided with a cylindrical boss I0h forming a bearing surface for theanti-friction bearing I2, Fig. 1. The smaller and of casing I 00preferably terminates in a cylindrical portion I07, Fig. 4, which has aninternal beveled bearing surface I 070, for the purpose hereinafterdescribed. Referring to Fig. 1, when the impeller I0 is rapidly rotatedby prime mover I8, as the smaller end of the impeller dips down belowthe oil, water or other fluid within the unit, the fiuid within thesmaller end is rotated within the impeller and the centrifugal actionforces the air upwardly through the impeller where it is dischargedthrough the annular spray ejection slot X which is disposed slightlyabove the plate 1. and as the air is thus centrifugally ejected from theimpeller, the fluid is caused by atmospheric pressure within the unit torise up through the impeller and to be itself ejected centrifugally inthe form of a disk-like sheet or film across the plate I, it beingunderstood that the film of fluid is slightly spaced from plate I so asto form a vacuum between the plate and the fluid film. Due to the factthat the diameter of the impeller increases in size towards the slot X,the centrifugal force increases from the smaller end towards the largerend of the impeller so that when the fluid is ejected through slot X thesame will have a high velocity forming a thin solid sheet across theface of plate I, the fluid impinging upon the deflecting flange 5 of theopening 4 in top 3 of the unit, the impinging action preventing the airabove plate I from contacting therewith at the periphery of plate 'I,the air being thrown off by and with the film of fluid and passingbetween the periphery of plate I and the deflecting flange 5 into theinterior of the unit, thereby building up the pressure within the unitabove atmospheric pressure, but which pressure if sufficient may escapeto the atmosphere by passing through air vents 3' in top of the unit.

The unit, when the impeller I0 is rotating as above described, sets up adifferential in air pressure immediately above the plate I andimmediately under plate I (and in fact under the bottom I of the unit)of substantial magnitude, and the more impervious the radiating film orspray of fluid medium is, over plate I, the greater will be theair-pressure differential. Thus, in operation, the air between the fluidfilm emitted from annular slot X centrifugally by the impeller I0 andplate I, will be greatly rarefied, because the air above the fluid filmwill be diverted radially therewith due to the centrifugal force andvelocity of the fluid assisted by the conical dome 23 (Fig. l) which isattached to the head plate 2| in any desired manner and rotatestherewith. Atmospheric pressure at sea-level is 14.7 lbs. per squareinch, or 2116.8 lbs. per square foot; and thus if the area of plate 1were 20 square feet and all of the air immediately above the plate Iwere removed, the resulting atmospheric force tending to move the unitinto the zone of rarefied air would be 42,336 lbs. or approximately 21tons. Since however it is impossible to secure a perfect vacuum aboveplate I by the device, the actual resulting air force is proportional tothe degree to which the air between the fluid film and plate I isactually rarefied, and since by the device this degree may beconsiderable the air lift or thrust on the device would also be ofconsiderable magnitude. Actual tests have been made in which theresultant air thrust has reached a force equal to 720 lbs. per squarefoot, which as compared with the amount of power or energy required tooperate the motor I8 to rotate the impeller, results in an exceedinglyhigh efiiciency.

My novel device is capable of many specific applications, particularlyas a propelling means for vehicles, ships, airplanes and other moving,hoisting or lifting devices. Figs. 6 and '7 show several applications toa speed boat, the device being slightly modified but operating on thesame general principle.

In Fig. 6 the conventional boat 24 may be of any desired type, the samebeing merely illustrative of the invention. Extending from the bow ofthe boat is a casing 25 disposed on a substantially horizontal axis,above the water-line on the axis of the ship, the same being fixedly 5mounted :thereon. In :this "modification seawater, instead of a moreexpensive fluid is utilized because same is easily obtainable,although'some- .what inferior in efiiciency to oil owing to its lowerviscosity.

In this modification (Figs. 6 and 7) the pro-- jection 25 is indicatedas having at its outer end a disk-like plate'tt corresponding with theplate 7 of Fig. 1. Within. casing 25 behind plate 26 is a block orsupport 21 carrying a bearing casting 28 in which is journaled theimpeller I0 substantially identical in form as that shown in Figs. 3,4,5 and 5a with the exception that the same is shown as formed with beltgrooves Him or the like adapted to receive a belt or belts 29 runningover the grooves mm and over a correspondingly grooved pulley 3!) on adrive shaft 3| journaled in bearings 32 dispcsed'within casing 25, shaft3! being driven byan internal combustion motor 33 or other prime mover.Instead of using belt grooves Him, 3%! and belt 29, any other desiredmeans may be used for rotating the impeller such as gearing, chainsprockets, or the like, in order to impart the requisite rotation.

In this modification, the annular spray ejection slot X is disposedslightly in advance of plate 26, and the impeller it carries the conicalhead 23 as in Fig. l. The sea-water, used as a filmforming medium isscooped up through a pipe 34 which is open to the sea below thewater-line W (Fig. '7) the pipe passing upwardly and forwardly andterminating in axial alignment with the smaller end my (Fig. 4) oftheimpeller l0, said pipe being stationary and having a correspondinglybeveled end Ma (Fig. 4) whereby sea-water the impeller i8, and thisassisted .by the partial vacuum initially set up in the rotatingimpeller ill will permit the atmospheric pressure on the surface of thewater at the water-line and raise the water upwardly through pipe 34- tothe impeller, from whence it is emitted from the annular r sprayejection slot X in the form of a solid film over the plate 25 in themanner before-mentioned in connection with the modification shown inFigs. 3. and 2, the radiating film thereby rarefying the air immediatelyin front of .plate 26 and the differential in air-pressure causing theboat as a whole to move into or towards the area of air rarefaction witha force proportional to the degree of air rarefaction.

Instead of using pipe 34 which takes in seawater at the how of the boatin the manner shown in Fig. 7, the pipe may extend to a pointapproximately the center of the ship or any other point, as shown bydotted lines 3! in Fig. 6, the pipe 31 scooping up water thereinto at apoint where the scoop end thereof will always necessarily be submerged.Pipe 31 may be provided with a valve (not shown), the pipe leading tothe impeller H in the same manner as pipe 34.

In order to prevent air from entering between the film of water and theface of plate 26, at the periphery of casing 25 an annular deflectingring 3t is provided having its rear end disposed slightly rearwardly ofthe plate 26 and having its front end disposed slightly in advance ofthe plate 26 adjacentits periphery, so that the film of water Willstrike the inner surface of deflector ringISG and will passrearwardlyiin close contact with the periphery of plate =26 to providean efiective seal to preventatmospheric air from entering between thefilm of water and the front face of plate 26. radiating film of water,striking the ring 26, will be deflected rearwardly thus providing anincreased component of force which serves to assistin moving the boatforwardly.

Since the casing 255 is fixed on the boat, it is possible that in heavyseas the bow of the boat may often be submerged, and therefore as afurther modification the device may be'disposed at the stern of theboat, as also shown in Fig. '6, the same in such location being housedin-a casing 38 which is swiveled as at 39 upon a base it secured to theafter-deck or to any other place which would normally be disposed abovethe water even in high seas. By swivelling the casing 33 the boat may bepropelled in any direction according to the horizontal angularity of thecasing with respect to the axis of the boat; and the boat if providedwith my devices disposed at both the bow and stern of the boat may bereadily docked or maneuvered, particularly in close places; or when thecasing 38 is aligned with the casing 25 both devices will assist inpropelling the boat forwardly. Moreover, the rear device 33, beingswiveled, may in fact be used as a rudder in that it may be used tothrow the stern of the boat from side to side while the boat is movingor standing still, thus facilitating docking as well as steering.

Figs. 6 and '7 merely show one specific application of the device.Obviously my invention is not limited to use on ships, but may be usedon automobiles, trucks, elevators, hoists, or any other devices wherelifting, pushing, or thrusting forces are required; and therefore, I donot limit my invention to the exact forms shown in the drawings, forobviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

Iclaim:

l. A device for creating air-pressure differentials, comprising a casinghaving an outer plate; a centrifugal fluid impeller of smaller diameterthan the plate rotatably mounted centrally of said plate emitting anunbroken disk-like sheet or film of fluid extending parallel with andacross and slightly spaced from the said plate; fluid deflecting meansto prevent atmospheric air from entering between the plate and film;means for supplying fluid to said impeller; and means for rotating saidimpeller.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said fluid supply meanscomprising a valved supply pipe discharging into the impeller and havinga slipjoint connection therewith.

3. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said impeller comprising aconical shaft; radially disposed vanes carried by said shaft; acorrespondingly shaped conical housing surrounding said shaft andconnected with said vanes; the larger end of the housing extendingslightly through an axial opening in the plate and terminatirig adjacentthe outer face thereof; and a disk-shaped head mounted on the larger endof the shaft and having its periphery conforming with the externaldiameter of the larger end of the housing and spaced therefrom andforming with said end of the housing an annular filmemitting slot; andthe vanes extending across the slot and terminating at the inner face ofthe At the same timethe head, whereby the centrifugal force exerted onthe fluid within the impeller will be increased as the fluid passestherethrough from the smaller to the larger end.

4. A device for creating air-pressure diiTerentials comprising a casinghaving a circular end member; a centrifugal fluid impeller of smallerdiameter than the plate rotatably mounted coaxially of said plateemitting a disk-like sheet or film of fluid across and slightly spacedfrom the major portion of the area of the end member; means forpreventing atmospheric air from entering between the end member and filmfrom the periphery of said end member; means for supplying fluid to saidimpeller; and means for rotating said impeller.

5. In a device as set forth in claim 4, said impeller comprising aconical shaft, radially disposed vanes carried by said shaft; acorresponding shaped conical housing surrounding said shaft andconnected with said vanes; the larger end of the housing extendingslightly through an axial opening in the end member and terminatingadjacent the outer face thereof; and a disk-shaped head mounted on thelarger end of the shaft and having its periphery conforming with theexternal diameter of the larger end of the housing and spaced therefromand forming with said end of the housing an annular film emitting slot;and the vanes extending across the slot and terminating at the innerface of the head, whereby the centrifugal force exerted on the fluidwithin the impeller will be increased as the fluid passes therethroughfrom the smaller to the larger end.

6. In a device as set forth in claim 4, said fluid supply meanscomprising a valved supply pipe discharging into the impeller and havinga slipjoint connection therewith.

7. A device for moving self-propelled objects by setting up air-pressuredifferentials between certain faces thereof, comprising a casing adaptedto be mounted on the object and having a circular front plate; acentrifugal fluid impeller of smaller diameter than the plate rotatablymounted coaxially of said plate emitting a film of fluid across andslightly spaced from the plate; means for preventing atmospheric airfrom entering between the plate and film at the periphery of said plate;means for supplying fluid to said impeller; and means for rotating saidimpeller.

8. In a device as set forth in claim 7, said casing swiveled upon saidobject to control the direction of movement thereof.

9. In a device as set forth in claim 7, said fluid supply meanscomprising a valved supply pipe discharging into the impeller and havinga slipjoint connection therewith.

10. In a device as set forth in claim 7, said preventing meanscomprising an annular deflecting ring on the casing encompassing theplate and adapted to direct the film of fluid into close contact withthe periphery of the plate.

11. In a device as set forth in claim 7, said impeller comprising aconical shaft, radially disposed vanes carried by said shaft; acorrespondingly shaped conical housing surrounding said shaft andconnected with said vanes; the larger end of the housing extendingslightly through an axial opening in the plate and terminating adjacentthe outer face thereof; and a disk-shaped head mounted on the larger endof the shaft and having its periphery conforming with the externaldiameter of the larger end of the housing and spaced therefrom andforming with said end of the housing an annular film-emitting slot; and

the vanes extending across the slot and terminating at the inner face ofthe head, whereby the centrifugal force exerted on the fluid within theimpeller will be increased as the fluid passes therethrough from thesmaller to the larger end.

12. In a device as set forth in claim 7, said impeller comprising aconical shaft, radially disposed vanes carried by said shaft; acorrespondingly shaped conical housing surrounding said shaft andconnected with said vanes; the larger end of the housing extendingslightly through an axial opening in the plate and terminating adjacentthe outer face thereof; and a disk-shaped head mounted on the larger endof the shaft and having its periphery conforming with the ex-- ternaldiameter of the larger end of the housing and spaced therefrom andforming with said end of the housing an annular film-emitting slot; thevanes extending across the slot and terminating at the inner face of thehead, whereby the centrifugal force exerted on the fluid within theimpeller will be increased as the fluid passes therethrough from thesmaller to the larger end; and said fluid supply means comprising avalved supply pipe discharging into the smaller end of the impeller andhaving a slip-joint connection therewith.

13. A centrifugal fluid impeller comprising a conical shaft, radiallydisposed vanes carried by said shaft; a correspondingly shaped conicalhousing surrounding said shaft and connected with said vanes; adisk-shaped head mounted on the larger end of the shaft and having itsperiphery conforming with the external diameter of the larger end of thehousing and spaced therefrom and forming with said end of the housing anannular film-emitting slot; the vanes extending across the slot andterminating at the inner face of the head, whereby the centrifugal forceexcited on the flu d within the impeller will be increased as the fluidpasses therethrough from the smaller to the larger end; means forsuplying fluid into the smaller end of the impeller; and means forrotating the impeller.

14. In an impeller as set forth in claim 13, said vanes having radialtongues adjacent the larger end of the impeller; and a clamping ringhaving grooves receiving the said tongues and secured to said larger endof the housing and forming one wall of said slot.

JOHN H. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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